The Growth of Interest in Microprogramming: A Literature Survey

The literature is surveyed beginning with the first paper published in 1951. At that time microprogrammmg was proposed primarily as a means for designing the control umt of an otherwme conventmnal digital computer, although the possible use of a read/write control memory was noted. The survey reveals the way in which interest has successively developed in the following aspects of the subject: stored logic, the apphcatmn of m]croprogrammmg to the design of a range of computers, emulatmn, m]croprogrammmg m support of software, and read/write control memories. The bibliography includes 55 papers.